Vinexpo confronts the challenges of Brexit

On the eve of the historic triggering of Brexit negotiations, VINEXPO has pinpointed five key issues facing the wine and spirits industries which it will seek answers to at the June exhibition.*

The issues will be confronted at a conference in Bordeaux’s Parc des Expositions on Tuesday, June 20 at 4.00 pm.

The five topics identify key challenges for the UK and world wine and spirit industries:

Trade agreement update

Main challenges for the W&S industry: The impact on the UK market in terms of duties, consumer prices, category management and distribution

Whether the UK will lose its leading position for re-export?

Duty Free/Travel Retail opportunities

Protection of designation of origin areas

The conference opens with a review of the current EU trade agreement regarding wine and spirits imports, exports and tariffs.

Upwards of 48,000 wine producers and buyers from 150 countries are expected to attend VINEXPO in a climate this year of intense questioning about the impact on Brexit of trading conditions, prices and sources of supply

Jane Anson, wine writer who will moderate the conference during Vinexpo says, “Because the UK is the world’s second largest imported wine market and a major spirits exporter, the Brexit challenge is as acute for the UK as it is for wine producers in France, Italy and Spain and elsewhere in the world.”

Guillaume Deglise, CEO of VINEXPO added, “In a wider context, among our 48,000 attendees there will be producers and buyers currently excluded from the EU favourable tariff zone who see Brexit as an opportunity to penetrate the UK wine and spirits market.”

The value of UK wine imports is running at circa £28 billion according to VINEXPO/IWSR data for 2015. Volume imports are forecast to slow over the next five years.

Exports of all spirits from the UK reached £4.9 billion in 2016, according to the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, the major part lead by Scotch whisky exports.

The line up of speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

* VINEXPO, the world’s leading international wine and spirits exhibition, runs from June 18 to June 21 at the Parc des Expositions, Bordeaux, France.